Fire-escape



(No Model.)

W. S. BEEBE.

PIRE ESCAPE. lvm-263,100. Patented Aug. 22, 1882.

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ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE.

WINFIELD S. BEEBE, 0F MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,100, dated'August 22, 1882. Application nieu May 11, ieee. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VINFIELD S. BEEBE, ot' Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improved FireFiscape, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists o f a friction device by which to descend arope, the friction being applied to the rope by a kind of grip consisting of a couple of studs attached to the side of a disk, which turns in a block or case, through which the rope runs, said rope also passing between-the studs, which are so iixed with respect to a handle attached to the disk that when the body ofthe person is suspended from lthe handle of said disk and another handle of the case the said studs make short reverse bends of the rope, and thereby grip it'with such friction as to insure safe descent.

The invention also comprises a construction oi' the device whereby it can be readily taken off the rope to shift it alongsaid rope more readily than the rope can be drawn throughit, as hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gnres,

Figure l is a front elevation, of my improved lire-escape as it appears in the position for use. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation ot" the device with the cover removed and with the studs set so as to let the rope run free, and Fig. 3 is a section ot' Fig. 1 on line a* x.

A represents a block of circular form, having a circular recess, B, in one side, also aV the handle C, which liasalongitudinal groove for the rope coinciding with the eyelet, and said handle also has an eye-stud, F, to hook on a chain attached to a belt to be buckled around the person at the waist or under the arms.

G is a disk fitted in said recess B on a center pivot, I,'and having the studs H attached to one side in a line crossing the axis I. Said disk also has a handle, J, and said handle also has an eye-stud, F, for hooking on the belt the same as it is hooked to handle C. This handle J is so arranged with respect to the studs H that when itis swng down alongside of handle C the studs will crimp the rope between them, as shown by the dottedlines, Fig. and thus grip the rope with such binding force as to enable the person to descend slowly andsafely. The disk G and its studs H are inclosed by the covers K, between which there is a space, L, coinciding with the line of the rope when it is not crimped by the studs, as in Fig. 2, so that the rope may be taken out from between the studs; and the rope may also be taken out in like manner from the groove in handle C to detach the device from the rope readily, to shift it along the rope, and apply it again, rather than to pull the rope through the said device. When the person is suspended `from the handles the studs bend the rope across the space L, so as to eft'ectually confine it, and

`-handle J keeps said rope in the groove ot' blocker, stud-disk G, cover K, and handles C J, said handles having eye-studs F, substantially as described.

3. The recessed block A, having eyelet D, also grooved handle C, in combination with stud-disk Gr and handle J, substantially as described.

4. The recessed block A and handle C, having open eyelet D and the groove for the rope, in combination with stud-disk Cr and handle J, and also with cover K, having sllot L, substantially as described.

WINFIELD S. BEEBE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. HEDGEs, HTRAM H. BEEBE. 

